Great question! From the answers I see what I've suspected. A massive range, with many interesting social observations (not to get too heavy). A ton of books (we also have 100s) means cooking interest but also maybe home space or just into cookbooks. 3 or 4 not so much space but maybe like cooking OR, and more concerning: total reliance on the web. Cookbooks are a good window into current life patterns. One thing's pretty clear: no cookbooks, probably no pans.

here it is: Salume on West Broadway and here's why. Simplicity. But primarily the slicer. Go to the hyped joints and check out their slicer. It's electric I bet. This place uses a Berkel hand slicer and the stuff isn't paper-thin. It's tissue-thin, which makes for a more delicate sandwich. Go.

I ordered a vodka on the rocks and got a weird look. With the whole culture of mixology and fancy $20 cocktails it seems no one ever drinks, say, a "scotch on the rocks". Instead, it's "scotch with bitters and paprika with a splash of fruit from an exotic tree".

Anyone here drink straight anymore. What the hell happened to that? Is it just that everything's getting fancy? Too much advertising?

Inspired by the Burger a Day post on Miru 8691 burger in LA. The guy showed class in responding to the mostly negative review, welcoming the criticism. Whether or not it's an accurate assessment is beside the point-it's more how you react.

When you open a restaurant or write a book etc. you invite the possibility of verbal reaming. The other side of the coin is public appreciation, which makes it all worthwhile. You could either return fire or regroup and improve.

Even at home, it's no fun to hear people ream your food. Does this happen, and how do you react?

Partly inspired by @lilmynx13. My mom (dad burns toast) can't cook, but the tragedy is she thinks she can, ergo hundreds of recipe cards annotated with her "tweaking" and "creative input". Which is how the cumin and sesame oil spiked lasagna comes into the picture.

In addition, she's a technical nightmare. Heat is king. Vegetables are roasted to a burnt sad death. Is this typical or cliche? Stories? And is it better to realize you suck or suck and think you're good?

Usually I'm pretty cynical about hyped places, but I went yesterday to Dominque Anselm's bakery on Spring and Sullivan and got, yes, the koiuan annan (sp?) which was promoted in the NYT. It's damn good, as is the rest of the stuff. The hot chocolate, however, was not as great as payard's on Houston:

Because we live nearby and there aren't a ton of good restaurants I welcome Kutsher's. On the other hand, Chodorow has a crummy rep and is a businessman-not a food guy-who landed in the restaurant biz (see obsession with niche joints).

The menu looks pretty good, but tough nabe for places. And how many times are you gonna crave upscale deli food.

This thought inspired by @JoeBatch and my watching the AT Kitchen turkey show the other day. Maybe just a form of self-torture.

They talked about their gazillion turkey cooking tests including spreading ice on the breast, which (not surprisingly) didn't work.

Their shtick is getting (got a long time ago) old: a million absurd tests to assert conquering perfection. What an irritating gimmick Plus it's a form of culinary "constipation" as Albert Roux says: obsessive recipe adherence.

In announcing the new Dining In editor, the Times noted thxgiving being the "Super Bowl" of issues.

Is thxgiving really the food Super Bowl of the year? I agree in the sense that it's entirely food-centric i.e. no one really "celebrates" anything and is distracted by another purpose. (though we should be)

On the other hand, it's a pretty uninteresting food day. Year after year we make the same stuff, and since to cook is partially to create, it fails on that score.

I know I know. I'm sure this has been taken up a million times on SE. But I've been cooking from this one book for a month now and it only just dawned on me, it's that varied and interesting and generally great.

You know how when you see a great movie or read a great book you have to shout from on high?

Been into coking Thai recently and got most of the stuff-live near a Thai grocery (like fresh turmeric).

Keller's French L. book, though, has a recipe with fresh hearts of palm. No way in hell am I gonna order that.

Think of other ridiculously rare called-for ingredients? Is it just obnoxious for these guys to stick them in? I make an exception for ethnic recipes for some reason. I figure it's obvious they cook with unusual foods. But otherwise, give me a break.

At the risk of offending-though I think it's pretty tame-by accident I bought a gluten free loaf the other day, and it was really odd tasting.

It had a kind of gluey texture studded with bits of what resembled tiny, just undercooked rice.

As vegetables are probably my favorite things on earth, I'd imagine creative gluten free can be great. However, as I would had I needed to skirt cheese or other foods, I'd probably steer clear of faux products.

This time it's poached eggs. I love a poached egg as much as the next guy, but for some reason every chef and recipe writer in town feels the need to plop it on top of food from salads to pasta etc.

It can add a lot of delicious richness but often it just makes the thing taste like, well, an egg. It's also cheating. Think up a vinaigrette or something less heavy and more interesting that might do the trick.